Lostprophets' Ian Watkins
Photo: Matt Cardy/ Getty Images

During a day off from recording on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins was almost swept out to sea. The singer was calmly wading in the ocean just a few feet from the shore, when the sand suddenly disappeared from beneath his feet. He tried to swim back, but the current was too strong, so he began treading water. Then his legs cramped up.

"I couldn't get back to shore and I was barely holding myself above water with my arms," the Welsh singer recalled. "I tried waving to the guys [in the band] and shouting for help, but I wasn't far from the beach and they thought I was just messing around. They were like, 'What are you doing? Just stand up and walk back!' "

Just as Watkins was losing strength and the surf was washing over his mouth, a strong wave pushed him back to the edge of the sea shelf he had inadvertently stepped off, and he was able to scramble back to safety. "It sounds cliché, but I was just so grateful to be alive," he said. "When I got back to the shore, I sat back for ages reflecting, 'Holy f---, I really could have died.' "

It's unclear how much Watkins' brush with death affected the sound of Lostprophets' third album, but Liberation Transmission certainly sounds like an affirmation of life after a period of panic. The record, which was produced by Metallica vet Bob Rock (see "Lostprophets Enlist Metallica Producer But Leave 'Chugga-Chugga' Metal Behind"), is simultaneously the band's most energized and commercial offering, and it's connecting with audiences across the world. In England, the disc debuted at #1 and in the U.S. it entered the Billboard albums chart at #33.

Instead of subconsciously inserting catchy hooks between bouts of metallic pummeling, as they did on their first two albums, Lostprophets are now drawing the focus straight to the melodies. Songs like "Everyday Combat," "Can't Stop, Gotta Date With Hate" and "For All These Times Son, For All These Times" still rock, but they're more song-based than anything the band has previously recorded. And the rest of the album is even less metallic.

"From our parents, we grew up on pop music, but we were also into Metallica and Megadeth, and when you're 19 years old all you want to do is play heavy stuff, and that's easier to do as well," Watkins explained. "You just grab a guitar and rock out with no real thought about what a song is. It's all about getting a bit of aggression out, so that's what we did on the first and second records. But this time we decided to strip some of the stuff down and let the songs really stand out. It's not all about thrashy riffs anymore, it's about taking elements from the stuff we listened to growing up and using that to make better songs."

The most obvious new influence on Lostprophets is the Clash, whose choppy guitar lines and chant-along vocals color Liberation Transmission like the Union Jack. The other main influence, as heard in the sugary choruses, is Duran Duran; there are also touches of the Police and even Depeche Mode.

"People say the Clash were a punk band, but to me they were very pop," Watkins said. " 'Rock the Casbah' has one of the best choruses ever written. And Duran Duran were the same way. That was back when 'pop' wasn't a dirty word. These were real bands, yet they were very poppy. So we took more of that attitude with this album, but obviously still with a big rock sound."

The first single from Liberation Transmission, "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" is currently stirring the waters at rock radio, and a video for the track was recently sent to music outlets. Watkins was inspired to write the song after watching the film "Garden State" on TV. "There's this moment when they all scream into a quarry, and that had a real effect on me," he said. "You reach this point where you need a release. You're either happy or pissed off so you just scream and remind yourself and everyone around you that you're alive."

The motivational aspect of "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" is representative of the rest of Liberation Transmission. Watkins wrote the lyrics after ending a long-term relationship and deciding that the only way to move forward is to purge his poisons and embrace life.

"The title of the album is about taking steps to liberate yourself personally from whatever things in your life are affecting you in a negative way," he said, "from a relationship with a lover or a parent or your boss to a state of mind you're just not happy with. When that happens, you just need to make changes so you're not stuck in a rut. These 12 songs are kind of 12 comments or ideas about changing stuff."

• Lostprophets

India.Arie's <i>Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship</i>
Photo: Universal

Close, but no cigar.

Chris Carrabba — the man behind Dashboard Confessional — told MTV News last month that debuting at #1 on the Billboard albums chart wasn't a goal, but he did admit that "it would be cool to look back at, as it's something of an accomplishment." It was more important, he added, "to still be on the charts after a year" (see "Secrets? Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba Has A Few About Dusk And Summer").

Still, one can't help but wonder what's going through the songwriter's mind as the new SoundScan totals reveal Dashboard's latest, Dusk and Summer, is the band's second-straight LP to miss that magical mark — bowing at #2 with just over 134,000 first-week sales. Three years ago, A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar sold 122,000 copies to also debut at #2, behind Alan Jackson's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.

This time around, it wasn't a country icon who pulled the rug out from under Carrabba's feet, but soul artist India.Arie, who claims the Billboard crown with her third release, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship.

India.Arie's latest is also her first chart-topping debut. Voyage to India (2002) debuted at #6 with 110,000 discs sold, and her inaugural offering, Acoustic Soul (2001), bowed at #10 with 76,000-plus scans. Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship racked up 161,000 in week-one sales — not a runaway victory, but enough to keep Dashboard Confessional at bay.

India.Arie and Dashboard are the only newcomers to crack the top 10 on the latest chart, while a dozen other new releases make the top 200 cut.

Nelly Furtado's Loose, which debuted at #1 the previous week, slips to #3 with 99,000 units sold, followed by the Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way at #4 with more than 78,000 scans. Rihanna's A Girl Like Me scored a 14 percent sales boost, moving 62,000 copies and climbing seven spots to #5.

Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere rises two to #6 with sales of more than 60,000, while Rascal Flatts' Me & My Gang claims the #7 spot with 59,000 scans. Busta Rhymes' The Big Bang slips three to #8 with 58,000 copies sold, and the soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical" comes in at #9 with nearly 58,000 sales. Rounding out the top 10 is the soundtrack to the animated feature "Cars," which sold over 50,000 copies its fourth week in stores.

Shawnna, an MC from the south side of Chicago who calls blues guitarist Buddy Guy "Dad," notches the third-highest opening on the chart. Her Block Music takes the #13 slot with 47,000 scans, followed at #16 by Hank Williams Jr.'s That's How They Do It in Dixie: The Essential Collection, which netted week-one sales nearing 39,000.

The Snoop Dogg-produced Cali Iz Active — the latest from Tha Dogg Pound, featuring Snoop, Daz Dillinger and Kurupt — debuts at #28, with more than 30,000 units scanned. Lostprophets follow at #33 with Liberation Transmission, racking up 27,000 sales. Ray Cash's debut LP, Cash on Delivery, opens at #41 with 24,000 scans while II, the new one from punk quartet Billy Talent, pops up at #134 with 7,000-plus copies sold. The soundtrack to the Broadway musical "Tarzan," which features music by Phil Collins, opens at #170 with over 5,000 copies sold.

• India.Arie
• Dashboard Confessional
• Shawnna
• Tha Dogg Pound
• Lostprophets

Dashboard Confessional's <I>Dusk and Summer</I>
Photo: Vagrant Records

A Dash of Heartbreak: "Reason to Believe," "Secret's in the Telling," "Rooftops and Invitations" ... yep, sounds like a new Dashboard Confessional album all right. Dusk and Summer took Chris Carrabba three years to create, with help from producers Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan) and Don Gilmore (Avril Lavigne, Duran Duran), so make sure you've got extra Kleenex. If you're in DC's demo, show your student ID at a nearby Best Buy and the disc will only cost you $6.99.

Let's Get Active: Kurupt and Daz Dillinger threw a collar on Snoop Dogg and yanked him onto Cali Iz Active, Tha Dogg Pound's first full-fledged LP since 2001's, er, 2002. While Snoop is considered an official member this time around and has an executive-producer credit, he only crops up on a couple of tracks. Still, spots by Diddy, Ice Cube, Paul Wall, David Banner, Lady of Rage and Nate Dogg should make up for it.

Block Party: Shawnna's got a pretty impressive guest list of her own, especially for a sophomore artist. The Def Jam singer and "You Hear It First" alum coaxed Ludacris, Lil Wayne, Too Short, Syleena Johnson, Bobby Valentino and even her father, blues king Buddy Guy, onto Block Music. Tracks include "Candy Coated," "Lil Daddy What's Good" and the remix of "Gettin' Some," featuring Luda, Wayne and Short.

How to Sum It Up?: Welsh rockers Lostprophets have been around for almost 10 years, but they still seem to have a hard time speaking succinctly. Their third offering, the Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe)-produced Liberation Transmission — which has already spawned numerous import versions — features such longwinded titles as "Can't Catch Tomorrow (Good Shoes Won't Save You This Time)," "Broken Hearts, Torn Up Letters and the Story of a Lonely Girl" and "Always All Ways (Apologies, Glances and Messed Up Chances)."

Björk'd: The Icelandic queen has a handful of box sets already out there, and she's keeping her fans Surrounded with a seven-DualDisc chest. Each one is a 5.1 surround-sound update of one studio record — and her recent soundtrack to husband Matthew Barney's "Restraint 9" — plus respective videos for that effort. The brick package is a work of art in and of itself.

Cases of Mistaken Identity: No, that's not Sammie making a comeback this week, even though we recently reported that the R&B crooner is in fact on the rebound. Rather, it's the Sammies, North Carolina's latest rock hopefuls, whose self-titled debut arrives shortly after one of the group's songs was used on ABC Family's "Wildfire." And no, that's not actress Julia Roberts singing on Men & Mascara — it's country/pop artist Julie Roberts, who mulls if she's "Too Damn Young" but finds room to "Smile" on her second effort. Nor is that U.K. luminaries the Coral dishing up Volcano and Heart this week. It's actually Santa Barbara, California's the Coral Sea whose "Look at Her Face" you may have heard on "Grey's Anatomy."

But that is '80s mainstays Warrant getting Born Again with their first full-fledged set of original studio recordings since 1995's Ultraphobic, albeit without Jani Lane singing. And that is Afroman still enjoying the aftereffects of his 2001 hit "Because I Got High" with yet another similarly titled record, Drunk 'n' High.

Getting Saucy: St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras and Cinco de Mayo may be behind us, but that's not stopping this week's roster from getting its drink on. Afroman's already buzzing with his aforementioned Drunk 'n' High, and Julie Roberts is "Chasin' Whiskey" on Men & Mascara, but not to be overlooked are the Moonshine Bandits tossing back a few with Bubba Sparxxx, Celly Cel, Jay Tee and others on Prohibition. And needless to say, there's more than a few cocktails being tipped back on Dr. Dre's Chronicles: Death Row Classics, the two-part "Reggae Spring Break" DVD series and, presumably, Rendezvous in Rio by folk-pop singer Michael Franks.

A Docking of the Docs: Three music documentaries of note this week, beginning with "Let's Rock Again," a snapshot of fallen Clash frontman Joe Strummer taken by friend Dick Rude. The set captures Strummer in the 18 months leading up to his death and features interviews and more. "We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen" is a portrait of the influential San Pedro, California, punks and features interviews with Flea, Ian MacKaye, Thurston Moore, Henry Rollins and tons more. "Look at All the Love We Found: Live - A Tribute to Sublime," on the other hand, isn't a documentary of the '90s stalwarts but a chronicle of a tribute gig staged in Los Angeles last year that featured Unwritten Law, Blackalicious, Los Lobos and other amigos. The bonus CD chips in a handful of tracks that didn't appear on last year's audio comp of the same name.

Song Title of the Week:

"Divine Birthrite (Maiden Voyage of the Grape Ape)" from An Albatross' Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear-Warp Kumite)

Other Notables:

Jonah Smith's Jonah Smith: The buzz is strong with this new New Yorker, who's drawing raves for his rich blend of soul and Americana. His eponymous effort was produced by Lee Townsend (Bill Frisell, John Scofield) and boasts "Little Black Angels," "My Morning Scene" and "Dressed in White."

An Albatross' Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear-Warp Kumite): Much fun to be had on the latest opus by the herky-jerky spazz-outs. In addition to the Song Title of the Week, be on the lookout for "Lysergically Yours, My Psychadelic Bride," "Ballad of the Electric Coyote" and a speedy, three-part "epic."

DJ Spooky's DJ Spooky Presents: In Fine Style - 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records!!!: Not so much a new Spooky record as an effort to show how vintage reggae tunes are largely responsible for much of today's club music, the DJ goes overboard with a two-disc set that culls tunes by Lee Perry, Desmond Dekker, Sly and Robbie and many more. A jolt indeed.

New Releases:

• 7L & Esoteric - A New Dope (Babygrande)
  
• A Life Once Lost - Hunter (Ferret)
  
• Afroman - Drunk 'n' High (Siccness)
  
• An Albatross - Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear-Warp Kumite) (Ace Fu)
  
• India.Arie - Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship (Universal)
  Buy Now: Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship (Universal)
  
• Authority Zero - Rhythm and Booze (Suburban Noize)
  
• Baby Ray - Low Rises (Dren)
  
• Balun - Something Comes Our Way (live; Brilliante)
  
• Hector Bambino - Roc la Familia & Hector Bambino "El Father" Present Los Rompe Discotekas (Roc-A-Fella)
  
• David Benoit - Full Circle (Peak)
  
• Big Mike - Keep It Playa (BCD)
  
• Billy Talent - II (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: II (Atlantic)
  
• Bittersweets - The Life You Always Wanted (Virt)
  
• Brand New Heavies - Get Used to It (Delicious Vinyl)
  
• John Brannen - Twilight Tattoo (Sly Dog)
  
• Héctor Buitrago - Conector (Nacional)
  
• Carpathian Forest - F--- You All!!!! (limited edition; Season Mist)
  
• Ray Cash - Cash on Delivery (Gheto-O-Vision/ Columbia)
  
• Gilbert Castellanos - Underground (Seedling)
  
• Catch 22 - Permanent Revolution (Victory)
  Buy Now: Permanent Revolution (Victory)
  
• Cellador - Enter Deception (Metal Blade)
  
• Cephas & Wiggins - Shoulder to Shoulder (Alligator)
  
• Chevreuil - Capoeria (Sickroom)
  
• The City Drive - Always Moving Never Stopping (Red Ink)
  
• The Coral Sea - Volcano and Heart (Hidden Agenda)
  
• Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer (Vagrant)
  Read: "Secrets? Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba Has A Few About Dusk And Summer"
  Buy Now: Dusk and Summer (Vagrant)
  
• Dead Celebrity Status - Blood Music (Bodog)
  
• Kris Delmhorst - Strange Conversation (Signature)
  
• Jesse DeNatale - Soul Parade (Jackpine Social Club)
  
• Dirty on Purpose - Hallelujah Sirens (North Street)
  
• Dirty Rig - Rock Did It (limited edition with bonus DVD; New Media Studio)
  
• Dr. Octagon - The Return of Dr. Octagon (OCD)
  
• Dry Kill Logic - The Magellan Complex (Repossession)
  
• George Duke - In a Mellow Tone (Bizarre Planet)
  
• Four Tet - DJ Kicks (!K7)
  
• Michael Franks - Rendezvous in Rio (Koch)
  
• Good Riddance - My Republic (enhanced; Fat Wreck Chords)
  
• Graf Orlock - Destination Time Yesterday (Level Plane)
  
• Hacienda Brothers - What's Wrong With Right (Proper)
  
• John Lee Hooker Jr. - Cold as Ice (Telarc)
  
• Ray Wylie Hubbard - Snake Farm (Sustain)
  
• Glenn Hughes - Music for the Divine (Frontiers)
  
• iiO - Poetica (Made)
  
• The Illuminati - On Borrowed Time (enhanced; Liquor & Poker)
  
• François K - Frequencies (Wave Music)
  
• Mike Keneally Band - Guitar Therapy Live (Exowax)
  
• Sammy Kershaw - Honky Tonk Boots (Category 5)
  
• Chris Thomas King - Rise (21st Century Blues)
  
• Jeff Lang - Prepare Me Well: An Introduction to Jeff Lang (Telarc)
  
• Lord Jamar - The 5% Album (Babygrande)
  
• Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission (Columbia)
  Read: "Lostprophets Enlist Metallica Producer But Leave 'Chugga-Chugga' Metal Behind"
  Buy Now: Liberation Transmission (Columbia)
  
• Bobby Lyle - Hands On (Heads Up)
  
• Brad Mehldau Trio - House on Hill (Nonesuch)
  
• Metal Church - A Light in the Dark (Steamhammer)
  
• Moonshine Bandits - Prohibition (Independent Music Network)
  
• Tim O'Reagan - Tim O'Reagan (Lost Highway)
  
• John Ottman - "Superman Returns" original score (Rhino)
  
• Person - Entitled (Echelon Productions)
  
• Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental (limited two-CD deluxe edition also available; Rhino)
  Buy Now: Fundamental (Rhino)
  
• Grant-Lee Phillips - Nineteeneighties (Zöe/ Rounder)
  
• Julie Roberts - Men & Mascara (Mercury Nashville)
  
• The Sammies - The Sammies (MoRisen)
  
• Roger Sanchez - Come With Me (Ultra)
  
• The Seventh Cross - Scorched by the Flames of Vengeance (Candlelight)
  
• Shawnna - Block Music (enhanced; Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Block Music (Def Jam)
  
• Kierra KiKi Sheard - This Is Me (special edition also available; EMI Gospel)
  
• Slabz R Us - Mike Moe, Beltway 8 Boys (BCD)
  
• Jonah Smith - Jonah Smith (Relix Records/ Image Entertainment)
  
• DJ Spinna - Intergalactic Soul (Shanachie)
  
• DJ Spooky - DJ Spooky Presents: In Fine Style - 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records!!! (Trojan)
  Buy Now: DJ Spooky Presents: In Fine Style - 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records!!! (Trojan)
  
• Spores - Imagine the Future (Sidecho)
  
• Takeovers - Turn to Red (Fading Captain)
  
• Tha Dogg Pound - Cali Iz Active (Koch)
  Read: "Snoop, Ice Cube, Xzibit Show 'Cali' Love In DPGC Video"
  Buy Now: Cali Iz Active (Koch)
  
• Theatre of Tragedy - Storm (Candlelight)
  
• Wayman Tisdale - Way Up! (Rendezvous)
  
• Warrant - Born Again (Cleopatra)
  Buy Now: Born Again (Cleopatra)
  
• Peter White - Playin' Favourites (Columbia)
  
• Yip-Yip - In the Reptile House (Saf)
  
• Various artists - A Rough Guide to the Music of Iran (World Music Network)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Ian Anderson - The Ian Anderson Collection (two CDs; Fuel)
  
• Shirley Bassey - An Introduction to Shirley Bassey (Fuel)
  
• Debashish Bhattacharya - Calcutta Slide Guitar 3 (limited edition with bonus DVD; Riverboat)
  
• Björk - Surrounded (seven-DualDisc box set; Rhino)
  
• The Church - Sometime Anywhere (Lemon)
  
• Alex De Grassi - Pure Alex De Grassi (Windham Hill)
  
• Dissection - The Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane (two CDs each; The End)
  
• Dr. Dre - Chronicles: Death Row Classics (Death Row)
  Buy Now: Chronicles: Death Row Classics (Death Row)
  
• Dub Specialist - Version Dread: 18 Dub Hits From Studio One (Heartbeat)
  
• Michael English - Greatest Hits: In Christ Alone (Curb)
  
• The Flying Burrito Brothers - Airborne/ Flying Again (Acadia)
  
• Judy Garland - The Essential Judy Garland (Capitol)
  
• John Gorka - Pure John Gorka (Windham Hill)
  
• Michael Hedges - Pure Michael Hedges (Windham Hill)
  
• John Holt - I Can't Get You Off My Mind: 18 Greatest Hits at Studio One (Heartbeat)
  
• The Hot Doggers - Surfin' USA (Sundazed)
  
• The Kickstands - Black Boots and Bikes (Sundazed)
  
• B.B. King - Gold (two CDs; Geffen)
  
• The Knights - Hot Rod High (Sundazed)
  
• J.B. Lenoir - An Introduction to J.B. Lenoir (Fuel)
  
• Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction (limited-edition gold disc; Mobile Fidelity)
  
• Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane - The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings (two CDs; Riverboat)
  
• Van Morrison - Pay the Devil (deluxe edition with DVD; Lost Highway)
  
• Nightnoise - Pure Nightnoise (Windham Hill)
  
• Lee "Scratch" Perry - An Introduction to Lee Perry (Fuel)
  
• The Rip Chords - Summer U.S.A.! The Best of the Rip Chords (Sundazed)
  
• Sons of the Pioneers - Classic Cowboy Songs (Varèse Sarabande)
  
• The Specials - Greatest Hits (Big Eye)
  
• Dusty Springfield - Gold (two CDs; Hip-O/ UMe)
  
• Cat Stevens - Chronicles (three CDs; A&M/ UMe)
  
• Liz Story - Pure Liz Story (Windham Hill)
  
• Whitesnake - Gold (two CDs; Geffen)
  Buy Now: Gold (Geffen)
  
• Hank Williams Jr. - That's How They Do It in Dixie - The Essential Collection (Curb)
  
• Various artists - 60's Gold (two CDs; Hip-O/ UMe)
  
• Various artists - The New York Sound: From the East Coast to the Future (BGP)
  
• Various artists - Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly (four-CD box set; Rhino)
  
• Various Artists - US Vs. UK Punk (Sanctuary)
  
• Various artists - "Dolemite" soundtrack (Relapse)

DVDs:

• The Afro-Cuban All-Stars - "Afro Cuban Legends" (Kultur)
  
• Paul Anka - "Music Man: The Authorized Biography" (White Star)
  
• Chuck Berry - "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" (two DVDs; four-DVD "Ultimate Collector's Edition" also available; Image)
  
• Chamillionaire - "Littles Presents: The East Coast Shakedown" (Best of Block)
  
• Cro-Mags - "Live in the Age of Quarrel (1986-2001)" (Cro-Mags)
  
• Deep Purple - "Music in Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
  
• The Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine: The DVD (Relapse)
  
• Green Day - "The Ultimate Film Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
  
• Jim Jones - "A Day in the Fastlife" (Koch)
  
• Happy Mondays - "Live in Barcelona" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Led Zeppelin - "Music in Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
  
• The Minutemen - "We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen" (two DVDs; Plexifilm)
  
• My Chemical Romance - "Things That Make You Go Mmmm!: An Unauthorized Documentary" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Nico - "All Tomorrow's Parties: Nico Live" (Hep Cat)
  
• Omar & the Howlers - "Bamboozled: Live in Germany" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Marty Robbins - "Music Anthology" (White Star)
  
• The Skeptix - "Live at CBGB's" (Music Video Distributors)
  
• Slade - "Slade Alive!: The Ultimate Critical Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
  
• Slightly Stoopid - "Live in San Diego: November 25 & 26 2005" (Shout! Factory)
  
• The Smiths - "Under Review" (Sexy Intellectual)
  
• Joe Strummer - "Let's Rock Again" (Image)
  
• Richard Thompson - "1000 Years of Popular Music" (one DVD with two CDs; Cooking Vinyl)
  
• Various artists - "Look at All the Love We Found: Live - A Tribute to Sublime" (with CD; Music Video Distributors)
  
• Various artists - "The Montreux Dream - The Story of the Montreux Jazz Festival" (Kultur)
• Various artists - "Reggae Spring Break Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2" (Music Video Distributors)

Coming Attractions:

July 4:

• Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways (Lost Highway)
  
• Rise Against - The Sufferer & the Witness (Geffen)
  Preorder: The Sufferer & the Witness (Geffen)
  
• Hans Zimmer - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" soundtrack (Disney)

July 11:

• Muse - Black Holes & Revelations (Warner Bros.)
  Preorder: Black Holes & Revelations (Warner Bros.)
  
• Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras From the Illinois Album! (Asthmatic Kitty)
  Preorder: The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras From the Illinois Album! (Asthmatic Kitty)
  
• Thom Yorke - The Eraser (XL Recordings)
  Read: "Thom Yorke Records Album Without Radiohead, Rejects 'Solo' Label"
  Preorder: The Eraser (XL Recordings)
  
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 22 (Sony)

July 18:

• Alien Ant Farm - Up in the Attic (New Door)
  Preorder: Up in the Attic (New Door)
  
• The Bronx - The Bronx (digipak; Island)
  
• The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Don't You Fake It (Virgin)
  Read: "The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: You Can Call Them Sellouts"

• Dashboard Confessional
• Tha Dogg Pound
• Shawnna
• Lostprophets
• Lord Jamar

Lostprophets
Photo: Getty Images

The prospect of working with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe) was rather intimidating at first for Lostprophets. But frontman Ian Watkins said the Welsh rockers needed to get past the fear factor because they needed someone like Rock. The no-nonsense workhorse has had a hand in some of metal's most influential records over the past 20 years, and the bandmembers wanted him to challenge them, push them and whip them into shape.

So Rock performed his professional duties — and at times, it did sting.

"It's been a hell of an experience," Watkins explained. "He's really cool, but at times he's been really tough on us. I can imagine, like, if you were in the Marines — he'd be like a really hard-ass drill sergeant who you think is a complete pr---. But then, because he's pushed you so hard, when you're in combat, all this training ends up saving your life. He doesn't bullsh--. He doesn't sugarcoat anything. If [a song's] sh--, he'll tell you. There were moments where it was so surreal for us, because we all grew up watching [the 1992 documentary] 'A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica' and then we saw [2004's] 'Some Kind of Monster.' To be there, sitting with [Rock], and working with him and arguing with him, it's been wild."

The Lostprophets have spent the last three months living with Rock at his home in Maui, where they've been recording the follow-up to 2004's Start Something. The writing process, according to Watkins, began almost a year ago in London. Since then they've churned out 50 tracks and recorded 13 at Rock's studio — all of which will comprise the band's third studio offering, slated for release in July.

"It's hard to know what to say without following every cliché in the book," the singer said. "You know, like, 'It's the best album we've ever done' and all that. But I don't know — it's the truth. We've just been refining the sound more and focusing on the songs. We're trying to write the best songs we can, put 'em on a record and then go out and dance around to them."

At this point, neither the album nor its 13 cuts even have working titles. "We're just focusing on the music for now, and we'll address all the aesthetics later on," Watkins reasoned. But he did comment on what fans can expect of the material — and not surprisingly, things will be sounding just a tad different than the band's previous work. Chalk it up to the inevitable maturation process the Prophets have undergone.

"We're just a band, and we play whatever we feel like playing at that moment," he said. "There was a more conscious effort to kind of use some of our heritage with this album, because we are a British band. We grew up listening to a lot of American rock, but we also grew up listening to stuff like the Police and the Clash and Duran Duran — the classic pop bands of the era. So there are definitely elements of that stuff in the songs. It's not so much 'chugga-chugga' metal anymore, because we've grown — as cliché as that sounds.

"When we started out, playing metal was so much fun," Watkins continued. "So that's what you'd do. But as you grow, you think, 'Ah, let's try doing something that's a bit more cool, a bit more together, a bit more classic. It's still got the rock and it's still aggressive, but in an angular, pop way. The best way I can describe it is, it's like the Clash playing Bon Jovi songs. We've got that aggression and we love big songs and big choruses. But I feel like this is the record we'll be most proud of. On the last two records, we were still trying to find ourselves."

• Lostprophets
• Bob Rock

"American Idol" Season 3 finalists (file)
Photo: MTV News

The "American Idol" finale will be held at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre (home of the Oscars) rather than the Universal Amphitheater, which hosted last year. The two remaining finalists will sing May 25, and the winner will be announced the following night. ...

Talib Kweli has just released The Beautiful Mix Tape in advance of his upcoming album, The Beautiful Struggle. It features more than a dozen tracks and guest stars like Busta Rhymes, Styles of the LOX, Common, Kanye West, Fabolous, Black Thought and Jean Grae. It also features a song, "Lonely People," that samples Ray Charles' version of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby." ... Kweli will also be a special guest in Xzibit's monthly Rhyme Night talent showcase on April 17 at the Key Club in Hollywood. ... Pink isn't the only one getting cozy with Bobby McGee in an upcoming Janis Joplin biopic. Actress Renée Zellweger will star and co-produce "Piece of My Heart," expected to hit the big screen next year. ...

Godsmack will film their April 9 concert in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to release as part of an upcoming DVD. The show, which also features Ill Niño and Dropbox, is part of a brief tour Godsmack booked to support their recent acoustic EP, The Other Side. Godsmack's tour opening for Metallica resumes April 20 in Uniondale, New York. ... Fans on the East Coast and in the Midwest wondering if a reunited Pixies would ever come to their town can breathe easy. The Pixies announced plans Monday for a proper North American fall tour that will begin September 4 in Bend, Oregon. Most dates and cities are still being booked, but some are already final: September 18 (Austin, Texas), October 14 (Atlanta), November 11 (Minneapolis), November 13 (Chicago) and November 24 (Toronto). ...

While continuing to traverse the U.S. with Hoobastank and ImaRobot on the Campus Invasion Tour, the Lostprophets are in the process of setting up their first Stateside headlining tour in May. Dates have yet to be confirmed. Campus Invasion wraps up April 24 in Norfolk, Virginia. ... Jem, who released her debut LP, Finally Woken, last month, will sing a cover of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" during a wedding reception on the season finale of "The O.C." The episode airs May 5. ... Great White have scheduled two more shows to benefit the victims and survivors of the Station club fire in Warwick, Rhode Island. Dates are April 22 in Ventura, California, and April 25 in Whittier, California. Proceeds will go the Station Family Fund. ...

Ghostface Killah will be hawking an autographed, limited-edition 20x30 painting of himself for $119 inside copies of his upcoming The Pretty Tony Album, due April 20. The canvas portrait was created by the art team Terryphunk (www.terryphunk.com). ... On his Web site, Rush Limbaugh blasted John Kerry and the MTV Choose or Loose half-hour special he appeared on. Specifically, Limbaugh accused Kerry of pandering when he claimed to have listened to hip-hop. "Can't you just see old J.F. Kerry and Teresa Heinz riding around in the Range Rover at one of their mansions with hip-hop playing? You really think Eminem is their CD player right now?" ... A Static Lullaby have hired former Death by Stereo drummer Jarod Alexander to replace Ben Newsham, who left the band in December. The band's upcoming tour starts April 18 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and runs through May 11 in Los Angeles. ...

04.05.2004

The Black Eyed Peas have re-recorded "Let's Get Retarded" as "Let's Get It Started" for use in promotional spots for the NBA playoffs. Four different commercials will air new verses of the song pertaining to basketball. ... Xzibit will play fictitious rapper 10-Large in an upcoming episode of "CSI: Miami." The episode, titled "Rap Sheet," was taped at the end of March and is scheduled for broadcast May 10. ...

Nickelback won Group of the Year and Fan Choice Award at Sunday's Juno Awards, Canada's version of the Grammys, but it was newcomer Sam Roberts who was the big winner, taking home trophies for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Rock Recording of the Year. 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' won International Album of the Year. ... Nelly Furtado, who won Single of the Year for "Powerless (Say What You Want)," has set dates for a U.S. tour beginning April 30 in Chicago and ending May 19 in Los Angeles. She's then heading to Europe for more touring. ...

The Roots are shooting the first video from their upcoming album, The Tipping Point, Monday (April 5) and Tuesday in Brooklyn, New York. Directed by the Saline Project, "Don't Say Nothin' " follows Black Thought through several characters to represent the various styles on the album. The Tipping Point, due June 29, includes a cover of Sly Stone's "Everybody Is a Star," a version of which will also appear on the upcoming tribute album Sly2K. ... Grey Album DJ Danger Mouse is among a crop of artists just added to the annual Bonnaroo Festival, set for June 11-13 in Manchester, Tennessee. Other new artists rounding out the lineup include Nellie McKay, the X-ecutioners, Robert Randolph & the Family Band and Rachael Yamagata. ...

Ozzy Osbourne filed a complaint last month with the Medical Board of California against his former physician, whom he alleges over-prescribed addictive drugs in 2002 that affected his behavior on "The Osbournes." Other patients of Dr. Kipper have filed similar complaints. ... Let's Rock, a one-hour documentary on the life of the Clash's Joe Strummer will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on May 7. The film, which traces Strummer from his early days with the Clash to the three albums he made with the Mescaleros before he died in 2002, was directed by his longtime friend Dick Rude. ... Sonic Youth, My Morning Jacket, On the Speakers and Jesse Malin are among the artists slated to play the Great Bamboozle, a three-day festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey, June 4-6. ...

Alien Ant Farm have started work on their still-untitled follow-up to truANT and are scheduled to begin recording this summer with an eye on releasing the disc early next year. When finished, they hope to hit the road to preview some of the new material. ... Ashanti and Eve have joined Jessica Simpson, Joss Stone, Patti LaBelle, Deborah Harry and Cyndi Lauper on the lineup for the seventh annual VH1 Divas concert. The concert, broadcast live April 18 from Las Vegas' MGM Grand, will feature appearances by Usher, Mischa Barton, Tyra Banks and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. ...

Spike TV will follow eight contestants who will work for Sugar Ray on the band's spring tour for a reality series called "On the Road." The winner will get a record-company job for one year. The outing, which also features Lola Ray (whose Tuesday debut is the first release on Good Charlotte's D.C. Flag Records label), kicks off April 3 in Tempe, Arizona, and wraps up May 6 in Hollywood. ... "Thunderstruck," an Australian film that revolves around AC/DC's 1991 tour, has been selected for screening at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie is about five fans who decide that if any one of them dies before age 40, the survivors will have him buried next to the grave of late AC/DC singer Bonn Scott. ...

Artist Pushead, who designed artwork for numerous Metallica albums, including St. Anger, has created a line of miniature statues of his works. Currently, the online Metallica store and other retailers are selling the "Damage Inc." and "Damaged Pirate" statues, and in August models will be available for "Sad But True" and "Eye See Your Skull." ... Beatallica, a band that crosses the music of Metallica with that of the Beatles, have released a self-titled eight-song EP on their Web site, www.beatallica.com. Song titles include "Blackened in the USSR," "Got to Get You Trapped Under Ice" and "Leper Madonna." Before you cry "Danger Mouse copycat!," keep in mind that Beatallica write original riffs and lyrics in addition to ripping off their heroes, and they've been doing so since 2001, when they released the spoof A Garage Day's Night, also available for free download. ...

• Talib Kweli
• Godsmack
• The Pixies
• Lostprophets
• Jem

The Lostprophets (file)
Photo: Chapman Baehler

As artists like Aqua ("Barbie Girl") and slacker songsmith Afroman ("Because I Got High") can attest, making it in the music industry takes more than just talent. Timing and a fresh sound also play a big part.

The Lostprophets, one of only a handful of U.K. bands that more closely resemble their American rock counterparts than their British brethren's melancholy outpourings and electronic flare-ups, also know that a kiss from Lady Luck never hurt an aspiring rock star.

"We were one of the first bands of our generation doing what we're doing," frontman Ian Watkins said. He cited fellow Wales group Funeral for a Friend as another group in line with the Lostprophets' melodic, emotionally fraught rock. "Until we came along, there was a lot of old rock and metal but not many of our generation doing this.

"But luck is definitely an aspect," he added. "Even some of the coolest bands in the world never make it because they have bad luck or are in the wrong place at the wrong time. And then some totally poo-poo bands make it."

Possessing male-model good looks is rarely a detriment, either, unless it's used against you. The British music press has a longstanding reputation for hyping bands up just to take them down, and the Lostprophets have felt their share of backlash. The group has been unfairly labeled a boy band that can't write its own songs. The band's members learned to develop a thick skin against these unjust innuendos. In fact, they're entertained by some of the more far-fetched rumors, like the one about them being in rehab, despite four of the six guys being straightedge.

"I love reading rumors," Watkins said. "It happens. A band sells a certain amount of records and gets in the spotlight, and then it's time to talk crap about them. It's just the way it happens. It's the nature of the beast."

With a hit single, "Last Train Home," already under their belts, the Lostprophets aren't worried about justifying their skills or disproving rumors while on the road with pals Hoobastank and Ima Robot. Having fun is all that's on the agenda from the tour's start Friday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, through its finale a month later (see "Hoobastank, Lostprophets To Invade College Campuses").

"Touring with your friends is always cool," Watkins said. "It's going to be a laugh. It's going to be awesome because we're just going to mess around and have a lot of fun."

The Lostprophets hope "Make a Move," the next single from their sophomore album, Start Something, will share the success of "Last Train Home." On Wednesday, the band filmed a video in Los Angeles for the track, which blends fluttering drum beats with heavy guitars and a determined call-to-arms chorus. As with most things pertaining to their career, the bandmembers took an active role in the creation of the clip, which was directed by Steven Murashige (Incubus, the Ataris).

"We do our own artwork, our own merch," Watkins said. "If you want something done properly, you should do it yourself. And I don't want anybody else trying to tell us what we should be or have an image or a vision for us. We write the music and we're not going to give everything else away to other people."

"Unless it's our stylists," programmer Jamie Oliver joked.

"Or our songwriters," added guitarist Lee Gaze.

"And don't forget our choreographers," Watkins followed. "And makeup artists, personal trainers and yoga instructors."

• Lostprophets

Lostprophets' Ian Watkins
Photo: Sony

The Lostprophets titled their second album Start Something for two reasons.

One was to motivate people out of complacency. "We spent the last three years touring and meeting loads of people who were like, 'I'd love to do this and that,' but they never had the drive to get up off their asses and do it," explained singer Ian Watkins. "Start something. Start anything."

The title's other meaning reflects the band's feeling that Start Something is their first musical step, despite releasing their debut album three years ago. They're neither trying to ignore 2001's The Fake Sound of Progress nor are they ashamed of it. It's just that the album, initially intended as a demo to help them land a recording contract, didn't accurately reflect their ability.

For starters, it was recorded in a mere week as opposed to the 10 months it took to write and track Start Something. The extra care and effort is evident in the latter album's songs, which are more fully realized with the addition of strings and orchestral arrangements. Those elements also appeared on The Fake Sound of Progress, but a cheap Casio keyboard doesn't compare to what the Welsh sextet devised for its latest effort, which was released February 3.

"We used strings to make the heavy guitars sound heavier," said guitarist Mike Lewis, shaking off any assumption that the Lostprophets' full-fledged studio album has forgone the edginess that helped The Fake Sound of Progress sell more than 120,000 copies in the United States.

For a band that calls Wales home, the Lostprophets' brand of melodic hard rock is closer to American bands like Linkin Park and Deftones than to Coldplay, Radiohead, Travis and other more typical "U.K. bands."

"Growing up, we never really cared where a band was from," Lewis said. "And when it comes to writing music, we're exactly the same. We don't care whether we sound English or American. We don't try to sound like anything, we just draw upon our influences."

"We kind of grew up listening to '80s new-wave stuff, like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and the Cure," added Watkins. "But we also mixed it up with thrash-metal stuff like Megadeth and Slayer. We also came from a punk and hardcore background, so we listened to a lot of New York and D.C. hardcore, like Fugazi and Gorilla Biscuits."

Start Something's first single, "Last Train Home," incorporates many of those elements, some more subtly than others, and has been a rock-radio staple for weeks. And though the song's mixture of crunchy guitars, hollered choruses and tension-mounting verses is on par with their contemporaries, its muse is a bit more time-tested.

"The inspiration was the old saying 'It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,' " Watkins said. "Whether you're in love, have ever been in love or are just kind of in the early stages, just be happy you have felt or are feeling something, and don't be all 'Woe is me!' and depressed about it. Just enjoy it and celebrate the fact that you're feeling something."

Watkins, Lewis, bassist Stuart Richardson, programmer Jamie Oliver, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze will let rock fans see beyond the single when they embark on a five-week tour March 19 with Hoobastank and Ima Robot (see "Hoobastank, Lostprophets To Invade College Campuses"). The value of performing in front of a large U.S. audience isn't lost on the singer.

"[Touring] is the true test," he said. "When you do a record you think is good, maybe some of your friends will tell you it's good. But it's only when you get out and play those songs in front of people that you can tell whether people relate to them and whether they're actually into them or not."

• Lostprophets

Hoobastank's Doug Robb (file)
Photo: Jason Campbell

After they finish their tour opening for Linkin Park and P.O.D. on March 6, Hoobastank will head back out to headline this year's MTV Campus Invasion Tour.

The trek launches March 19 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and runs through April 24 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Lostprophets and Ima Robot will open all dates.

Hoobastank will be touring to support their sophomore album, The Reason, which came out December 9. A video for their current single, "The Reason," was shot earlier this month by Brett Simon. Lostprophets, whose single "Last Train Home" continues to climb rock radio charts, are supporting their second disc, Start Something, which was released February 3. And Ima Robot will be touring behind their self-titled debut, which hit shelves September 16.

MTV's Choose or Lose 2004 campaign will be traveling with the Campus Invasion Tour, registering voters and offering literature aimed to raise political awareness.

MTV Campus Invasion dates:

• 3/19 - Chattanooga, TN @ University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
• 3/26 - Ashland, OH @ Ashland University
• 3/29 - Alfred, NY @ Alfred University/ SUNY
• 3/31 - Blacksburg, VA @ Virginia Tech University
• 4/2 - Jackson, MS @ University of Mississippi
• 4/6 - Miami, FL @ Florida International University
• 4/7 - Orlando, FL @ University of Central Florida
• 4/8 - Ft. Myers, FL @ Florida Gulf Coast University
• 4/15 - San Angelo, TX @ Angelo State University
• 4/22 - DeKalb, IL @ Northern University
• 4/23 - Buffalo, NY @  University of Buffalo
• 4/24 - Norfolk, VA @ Old Dominion University

• Hoobastank
• Lostprophets
• Ima Robot

Amid their calls for (presumably) the current administration to "step down, step down" in their single "Megalomaniac," Incubus step right up into the top slot of this week's new releases with A Crow Left of the Murder.

The video for "Megalomaniac," directed by Floria Sigismondi (Marilyn Manson, Christina Aguilera), mirrors its lyrical message with images damning the war in Iraq.

The soundtrack to "50 First Dates," the new Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore movie, is composed primarily of cover songs of popular '80s hits reworked by the likes of Wyclef Jean and Eve, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray, Jason Mraz, and Elan Atias with Gwen Stefani. Meanwhile, the "Barbershop 2" soundtrack features Mary J. Blige, Chingy, the Clipse, G-Unit, Sean Paul and Mobb Deep.

Five for Fighting drop The Battle of Everything, featuring the lead single, "100 Years," alongside the Walkmen's Bows and Arrows.

Finally, the Lostprophets Start Something ... just as we finish.

Out Tuesday, February 3:

• Aros - Train Song (Songlines/ Big Daddy)
• Astral Doors - If the Son and the Father (Locomotive Music)
• Moya Brennan - Two Horizons (Decca)
• Cat on Form - Set Them on Fire With Their Own Matches (Southern)
• Centro-Matic - Flashes and Cables (Misra)
• Kenny Chesney - When the Sun Goes Down (BNA)
• The Church - Forget Yourself (Cooking Vinyl)
• Citizens Here and Abroad - Ghosts of Tables and Chairs (Omnibus)
• The Clocks - Black Box (Zip)
• Harry Connick Jr. - Only You (Columbia)
• The Crumbs - Last Exit (TKO)
• Jimmy Dawkins - Tell Me Baby (Fedora)
• Destruction Unit - Self Destruction of a Man (Empty)
• Dismantled - Post Nuclear (Metropolis)
• Dollar Store - Dollar Store (Bloodshot)
• Easterly - Easterly (Not Lame)
• Electrelane - The Power Out (Too Pure)
• Electro Group - Ummo (Omnibus)
• Elephant Micah - The United States of Elephant Micah (BlueSanct)
• Fillmore Slim - Funky Mama's House (Fedora)
• Five for Fighting - The Battle for Everything (Aware/Columbia)
• Gadget - Remote (Relapse)
• Serge Gainsbourg - Aux Armes et Caetera (Sunnyside)
• In Strict Confidence - Holy (Metropolis)
• Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder (Epic/Immortal)
  Read: "Incubus Experiment With New Sounds On Crow Left Of The Murder"
  Buy Now: A Crow Left of the Murder (Epic/Immortal)
  To hear Incubus’ new album, check out MTV.com’s "The Leak."
  
• Tim Kirker - Like Distant Sounds (Fishhead)
• Last Autumn's Dream - Last Autumn's Dream (Frontiers)
• Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves (Secretly Canadian)
• Lion Fever - Lustre (Dim Mak)
• Lostprophets - Start Something (Columbia)
• Microphones - Live in Japan February 19th, 21st, and 22nd, 2003 (K)
• Moca - Wroooooooam (Blue Flame)
• Moth Spy - Sueno Azul (Americans Are Coming)
• Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed (4AD)
• Off the Record - Nothing New (New School)
• The Olivia Tremor Control - Music From the Unrealized Film Script (Cloud)
• Owls - Our Hopes and Dreams (Magic Marker)
• Eddi Reader - Sings the Songs of Robert Burns (Compass)
• Reincidentes - Cosas de Este Mundo (Locomotive Music)
• Sheek the Shayk - Hour of the Seventh Moon (Laughing Outlaw)
• Summer Hymns - Value Series Vol. 1: Fool's Gold (Misra)
• Sunny & the Sunliners - Sharing Those Rock & Roll Memories (Freddie)
• Super XX Man - Vol. VII: My Usual Way (Lelp Recordings)
• Heidi Talbot - Distant Future (Compass)
• Threshold - Critical Energy (Inside Out Music)
• Vaz/ The Seawhores - Vazzed in a Sea of Whores (Essay)
• Ray Vega - Squeeze Squeeze (Palmetto)
• Vocokesh - Tenth Corner (Strange Attractors)
• The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows (Record Collection)
• The Washdown - Yes to Everything (Lookout)
• X - Evil Rumours (Laughing Outlaw)
• Various artists - "50 First Dates" soundtrack (Maverick)
• Various artists - "Barbershop 2 - Back in Business" soundtrack (Interscope)
  Read: "Mary J. Blige, G-Unit Cuts On 'Barbershop 2' Soundtrack"
• Various artists - Body & Soul: Duets (Time Life)
• Various artists - "Lion King 1 1/2" soundtrack (Walt Disney)
• Various artists - Interpreting Björk (Hush)
• Various artists - Rykodisc 20th Anniversary (Rykodisc)
• Various artists - Soul Comes Home: A Celebration of Stax Records (Sony)

February 10:

• Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (Blue Note)
  Read:"Norah Jones Returns Home With New Album"
  Buy Now: Feels Like Home (Blue Note)
  
• Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
  Read: "Courtney Love Album Preview: America's Sweetheart Takes On Male Rock Pantheon"
  Buy Now: America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
  
• Kylie Minogue - Body Language (Capitol)
• Various artists - "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" soundtrack (Capitol)

February 17:

• BT - Music From and Inspired by the Film "Monster" (Digital Sound)
• Indigo Girls - All That We Let In (Sony)
• Lambchop - Aw C'mon (Merge)
• Lambchop - No, You C'mon (Merge)

February 24:

• JC Chasez - Schizophrenic (Jive)
  Read: "JC Chasez Learns To 'Shake It' Like A Polaroid Picture On Schizophrenic"
• John Frusciante - Shadows Collide With People (Warner Bros.)
• Orgy - Punk Statik Paranoia (D1)
• Rick Springfield - Shock Denial Anger Acceptance (Red Ink)

March 2:

• Black Sabbath - Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970-78 (Rhino)
• Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green Is the Soul Machine (Arista)
• The Get Up Kids - Guilt Show (Vagrant)
• Hootie and the Blowfish - The Best of Hootie and the Blowfish 1993-2003 (Atlantic)

March 30:

• Janet Jackson - Title TBD (Virgin)
  Read: "Janet Jackson Making Sexiest Album Yet, Producer Says"

April 6:

• Rahzel - Rahzel's Greatest Knockouts (Readyrock)

• Incubus
• Five For Fighting
• The Walkmen
• Lostprophets
• Kenny Chesney

• Lostprophets

• Lostprophets

Ozzfest 2002 In Boston, MA

• System of a Down
• P.O.D.
• Rob Zombie
• Down
• The Apex Theory